Vacationers tend to go through travel agents to do their booking for them. They tell someone else their interests and that person books their airfare, hotel, vacation activities and sometimes even meal plans. While it may be easier for some people to let a travel agent do all the work for them, they are spending hundreds, if not thousands more than they need to for this convenience. Not only do you have the travel agent’s fee, but you also have no control of what kind of deals or discounts you get. They handle it all, and since they get a commission, they aren’t going to get you the lowest rate possible.
You can save yourself a lot of money by choosing to book your own vacation using the resources you already have. It really instead too hard to do the extra money saved can be used towards extra time away or on some fun activities you’ve always wanted to try but didn’t have the money for. First you got to talk with your family about what destination you want, what activities you’ll want to do and what type of hotel do you want. If you know nothing about the destination you are going to, simply Google it ahead of time and see what there is to do. It is also a good idea to read reviews of past visitors to that location.
Once you know your itinerary and basic travel plans you can begin to book your dates. Start off by finding the lowest airfare possible. The best site to do this is through BookingBuddy.com. The reason why Booking Buddy is so great is because of the convenience. All you have to do is type in your itinerary then select what travel sites you want to get quotes from. All the major travel sites, airline website and even lesser known travel sites are on there. With a click of one button you are given as many quotes as you want for your airfare. No need to go directly to each site and type your itinerary over and over again.
While comparing the different prices on sites, keep in mind that the price given is not always the final price you will be paying. There are hidden fees and taxes that are mentioned in the fine print but not calculated in until the final step of purchasing. The one site with an exception to this is Priceline. The price you see is the price you get. Keep in mind that you can save additional money if you choose to leave and come back on a weekday rather than a weekend. This can sometimes save up to $60 or more per person which can really add up in savings.
Use Booking Buddy to get the best rates for a hotel as well. It works the same way the airfare search works and will often include a bigger discount if airfare and accommodations are booked together. As for booking travel activities, there are several ways to save money. If you are traveling within the US, you should probably book your activities through a travel site, comparing the sites to find the cheapest deal or find one that offers discounts if you book your hotel and airfare at the same site. However, if you are traveling outside the United States, you will actually find cheaper deals once you get down there. Local travel agencies compete with one another and want your business. This works toward your advantage and you can actually bargain for a lower rate. Travel agencies abroad can be found in the touristy hot spots in town.
